RAIN
by Rikku813
Summary: Takes place after the anime and revolves mainly around Tohru, Kyo, and a new character. A new member of the Souma family shows up, revealing a horrible past and a carefully hidden secret. Could this be the answer to end the Juunishi curse?
1. Prologue

Rain  
Prelude to a Storm  
  
  
  
Stupid game! Stupid stupid game! That's exactly what it was. He had lost at Dai Hi Min once again, the third time this week in fact, and was stuck cleaning the classroom all alone. And it didn't help that Uotani hadn't let up on her teasing at all…  
  
/"Carrot-top, you suck at this game! You're still no good at challenges… You're not even worth my time anymore... hahahahaha…"/  
  
That damnYankee. It was all her fault as usual. Yelling at him so much and making such a commotion that he got distracted. It had actually been Hanajima that won, but he had gotten the lower score, so he was stuck with Uotani's classroom duties. Such was the penalty for losing. Tohru had offered to stay after and help, but his pride wouldn't let her do something like that. Besides, if she stayed you know that damn mouse would have too. The two of them had hardly fought much the last couple days, and now that he thought about, not at all since… since that day when they saw his true form. Did Yuki pitty him now, feel sorry for him? Just the concept of it angered him. He didn't need Yuki's pitty, and he didn't need anyone for that matter. Just thinking about the all of it made his blood boil and he felt the color in his cheeks rise as his annoyance with the whole situation deepend.   
He set the mop against the desk and walked silently over to an open window, the faint smell of moisture on the air. /Great/, he thought, /rain. And it will probably start up as soon as I leave. And I didn't bring my umbrella. Just my luck. Dammit, now I'm really getting mad/. He angrily pushed a few strands of carrot colored hair away from his eyes, glaring at the dark gray clouds looming ever closer, the disdant sound of thunder rolling across the sky. He'd have to hurry if he wanted to beat the rain, but by the looks of things, he didn't have a chance. There was a storm coming, a big storm in fact. But when it rains, it pours, and Kyo would soon learn that there was more to this particular storm than just wind and rain, lightning and thunder. No, this storm would bring with it a figment of his past, a link that even he did not know existed, a secret kept from all the Souma's… with Kyo stuck right in the middle.  
  
  
  
*Author's note: This story is set after the anime. For sake of the originality of this plotline, I am holding the manga as a separate and different continuation. While I intend to involve every character at least once, please note that this story revolves mainly around 3 characters: Kyo, Tohru, and my own addition to the Fruits Basket world, who you will meet in Chapter 2. This story is meant to be in the drama/action category, and while I love romance, it is not the underlying theme of this fanfiction. There are no intended pairing between Yuki, Kyo, or Tohru in this story. Family, acceptance, friendship… these are the underlying currents of RAIN. 


	2. Chapter 1: The Approaching Storm

RAIN Part I -Dark Clouds  
"The Approaching Storm"  
  
She ran… ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. How long had she been running? Hours? Days? She couldn't remember anymore; she was so weak. And hungry, too. When had she eaten last? She couldn't remember that either. And now, she was cold and wet as well. Oh, how she hated being wet. The rain had begun to fall, harder and harder until it was nearly impossible to see in front of her. Even her keen eyesight was of no use, not with all the rain and the darkness of the forest. And she was lost; cold, wet, afraid and lost in this shadowy forest. She thought she had seen a path earlier, but for the life of her she didn't know in which direction it lay. But she kept going, knowing that if she gave up now she may never have another chance to get away. All she could do was keep running, maybe find somewhere good to hide. But there was no time. They were so close. She could hear them shouting to one another, knew that if she stopped, even for a moment, that they would catch her. So, she kept going, pushing her tired legs more and more. She didn't know where she was, where she was headed. It didn't matter, just so long as she got away from that God-awful place. She would never go back there again. /Never!/ She so desperately wanted to slow down, to rest her weary body. Damn her own weaknesses. After all that training, she thought she was ready. Thought she could escape. She wouldn't give up; she couldn't give up. What? And go back to that… that FAMILY?! Absolutely not! That was no family. She wanted no part of it. Damn them! Damn them all to hell! She pushed herself faster, and faster still, knew she had to keep going no matter what…  
… and then her legs finally gave out and she came crashing to the ground, the sheer force of her speed propelling her forward through the mud. The heavy rain pounded down upon her harder than ever as she lay there stuck in the sludge of the earth. She tried to move, but by then her body was just too enervated. /No…/ she cried silently, /not now when I've come so far… Get up… GET UP!/ But, no matter how hard she struggled, how much she willed herself too, she couldn't move. It was all over. When they found her they would take her back to that place… to that creepy man with the wicked smile. They'd lock her up and never let her see the light of day again, no, not after this little charade. She had tried, but her best simply hadn't been good enough. Her hope dwindling, she lay there, face partially submerged in muck, waiting for them to come… those men with the suits. She found no reason to go on. It was over. And then, suddenly, it was very faint, but she felt the presence of another… a mind, one so much like herself. Could it be? Someone who could help her, maybe even save her? It was too good to be true, but it was something at least. Anything, she would hold onto the tiniest pinprick of hope. She opened her mouth to cry out to the stranger, and hoped to God that her voice would carry through the storm. She yelled for help… but to her astonishment, no sound came out. She tried again; nothing but a barely audible squeak. /No, please…/ It wasn't fair. Someone so close, someone who could help, and she didn't even have enough strength to call out to them. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she clenched them tight, and with her last bit of energy gave out a silent howl of mental anguish and sorrow, a cry that would never reach the stranger far ahead. Letting her tears fall, she gave into the darkness closing in on her.  
  
  
He felt it. A sort of… mental tug, pulling at him, making him stop dead in his tracks. Was someone following him? Not likely, not in this weather. He was drenched, his shirt clinging to his chest, his hair hanging limply in his face. At this rate, even the books in his back pack would get wet, especially if he stood around any longer. Kyo turned to continue on his way, but he couldn't bring himself to move forward. Something… there was something that pulled at the very fiber of his being, his instincts telling him to turn around and go searching for the source of this pain he felt. But, then again, maybe it was his own pain he sensed. He had been going through a lot of inner turmoil recently… resurfacing memories of his mother becoming clearer by the day… all the agony he felt his whole life more apparent to him than ever. Being with Torhu always made him feel better, so perhaps he should just get back to Shigure's house. But, still… it gnarled at him. It was a presence so familiar to him, so much like himself that he almost mistook it for himself… and yet… it was strangely foreign at the same time. Oh well. Too bad, right? It wasn't his problem after all. Only an idiot would be out in this storm, especially in these woods. A person could get lost with the weather as bad as it was, particularly if they didn't know the way. And what the hell… this was private property! No one should be on this land without permission of the Souma's. Then again, what did he care about the Souma family… even though he so desperately wanted to be a part of it. That's right, he had his own troubles. He couldn't be worried about someone else. Whoever was there would just have to help themselves. It was none of his business. Before he knew what he was doing, he dropped his pack and ran… ran back towards the source of that inner cry he heard, back to help whatever… whoever, needed him. /I'm coming…/  
  
  
"Kyo-kun sure is late today," Tohru commented as she served them all tea. It was spring, so it was still a little chilly, and it was raining severely. If Kyo was out there in the rain… /Oh no! What if Kyo IS out there in the rain!! Oh no! Oh no! Kyo-kun! What should I do, what should I do?/  
"Tohru-kun?"  
Shigure's smooth voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Shigure-san, do you think Kyo-kun's out there in the storm? Shouldn't we go look for him?"  
"What? And risk our lives for that stupid cat?! That idiot can take care of himself." Yuki sat at the table, sipping his tea. "Mmm. This is good, Honda-san."  
"But… but Yuki-kun.. Kyo-kun is…"  
"Tohru-kun," Shigure began, "Kyo will be okay. Besides, Yuki is right. It's dangerous to go outside in that storm. He's probably still at school. When it calms down, I'll go to the school and pick him up, alright?"   
Tohru grinned. "Shigure-san! Thank you! Thank you! You're so kind, Shigure-san."  
"Anything for Tohru-kun," he replied with a suppressed giggle. Yuki frowned. /Pervert./   
  
  
He almost tripped over it, had barely seen it, cream-colored fur matted down with water and mud. The rain had begun to lighten up considerably, but it still rained hard enough to keep him thoroughly soaked. He knelt down to touch the little body, noting the pointed ears and whiskers. /A cat? And still alive too. What's a cat doing out here anyway?/ He slowly began to lift the small, trembling bulk from the mud when he heard a clamor of footsteps, splashing through puddles of collected rainwater, and then stopping abruptly in front of him. "Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to step away from that animal, please."  
There were four of them, men in suits, just as wet through as he was, their faces grim and their jaws locked in tight, readless expressions. From what he could tell they were American, but their Japanese was flawless. "Sir!" Whoever they were, they were serious, he gathered that. Kyo stood up, and looked at the blonde haired one that spoke to him.   
"What do you want with this cat? It is yours?"  
No answer.  
"Well?"  
"Sir…"  
"Don't 'Sir' me, you asshole! Do you realize your trespassing on private property! I could have you all arrested, and I just might if you don't give me an answer, and fast!" Kyo clenched his fists, restrained himself from swinging at them. /What a bunch of jackasses!/  
"Souma-san," another began, this one middle aged with light brown hair beginning to bald, "Believe it or not, we have clearance to be here. That cat, she's to come back with us."  
Something about these guys rubbed Kyo the wrong way; and how did they know he was a Souma. They must have known they were trespassing and assumed him as such. He felt his irritation rising. Something wasn't right. As if on cue, the little cat suddenly came to, struggling in the mud, looking behind frantically and then up at Kyo, wild eyes pleading. There was something about those eyes… something almost… human. She continued to struggle, obviously weary and vulnerable, crawling on her stomach towards Kyo… /and away from those men in the suits…/  
"I gotta feeling this cat doesn't wanna go home with you, so I suggest you leave right now."  
Another of them stepped forward, one with spiky black hair, about Shigure's age. "Ah, but..."  
"I said LEAVE! NOW!! BEFORE I GET REALLY ANGRY!!!"   
The last of the suits stepped forward and held out a hand to the others. He came up so that he was face to face with Kyo. Obviously the ringleader… dark brown hair slicked back, eyes scrunched and glaring at Kyo through thin, square framed glasses.   
"Souma Kyo-san…you don't seem to understand. That cat is no good. She's nothing but a hassle. We are trying to save Souma-san from having to deal with that trouble. Now, if you would so kindly hand her over to us, we will get off your property…"  
Kyo stood there, mildly shocked. "How… how do you know who I am?"  
The man grinned smugly. "I make it my business to know. However, you should not be concerned with our affairs with this cat," he glanced down at the cat who was now partially standing, glaring back at him with complete and total hatred. "Kyaa-san, come here."  
She stepped back, opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, but no sound came out. She glared at him, eyes full of contempt and distrust, of pure, unfaltering hatred.  
"Kyaa! Come here NOW!"  
"She doesn't want to go with you, isn't it clear?!"  
He scowled at Kyo. "You stupid cats, always causing trouble. I've heard all about you, Kyo-chan. You're a disgrace to the Souma family… a burden. You and your kind, the Juunishi… NOTHING BUT A MENACE! Especially you damn cats!"  
"And what's so wrong with cats, HUH!?" Kyo screamed, as he pummled a fist into the man's torso then brought his knee up to meet with the guys' head, slamming into it with a sickening crack. The man stumbled away, grabbing at his face as his glasses fell to the ground, blood streaming between his fingers. Kyo stepped on them, crushing them under his foot, grinding them into the mire. The blonde haired one leapt at him, but Kyo neatly stepped to the side, bringing his elbow down onto the back of the man's neck, sending him sprawling face first into the mud. He beat them all in a matter of minutes, sent them running, shouting that they'd be back. /Yeah, ok. Assholes…/ He turned to look for the cat. The rain had stopped for the time being, but black clouds threatened to open up once more. He knelt down and reached out for the little cream-colored cat.   
"Oi, C'mere," he beckoned, "We should get you cleaned up. No telling when those jerks'll come back." To his surprise, she didn't go to him, but stepped back, staring at him with eyes of derision and fear… the same look she gave to the man with the slicked back hair and glasses. "Eh? What's wrong? I'm not gonna hurt ya. Come on.." She backed away further, and with a sudden burst of energy, ran off into the underbrush, as quickly as possible.   
He frowned. "Sheesh! Is that the thanks I get for savin' your ass. Feh! See if I ever help you again!" He wasn't sure if the cat had heard him, or if she even understood what he had said. After all, she was just a cat. But, those eyes still haunted him… so familiar…  
A sudden clash of thunder snapped him out of his daydream as more rain began to fall. His frown deepened as he jogged towards Shigure's. /Sheesh, what a day…/  
  
  
She grabbed at her clothes, flung them over her freezing, wet body. They were mud-covered and did nothing for warmth. She had to find shelter, get out of this storm before it became the death of her. That boy… he must live around here somewhere. That meant there was a house nearby. Luckily, she had found the path, and if she kept following it perhaps it would lead her to where that young man lived. But had she heard right… /Souma? Juunishi?/ She hoped she had not. Those were the last people she wanted to be in close proximity to right now. Perhaps she just imagined it. She took a few steps, staggered and fell against a tree to keep her balance, her vision graying. So tired…The rain came down all around her, stinging her with its icy coldness. She had to find a place to stay and fast.  
  
  
"Kyo-kun!" Tohru ran over to her orange haired friend who had just entered the house. He was dripping wet, a small puddle forming at his feet. "What happened?!"  
"It's obvious, isn't it!!!" She stepped away. And he too was slightly taken aback by the curtness in his voice. He didn't mean to be so nasty, but it had come out as such. He was still fuming, needed to cool off a bit. He started for the stairs. "I'm gonna take a bath," he said over his shoulder.   
Tohru smiled. "Ok! Dinner will be ready soon."  
"Not hungry." He continued his was up the stairs, Tohru gazing worriedly at his back.   
"Kyo… -kun?"  
  
  
He didn't know why he was so upset. It was just a stupid cat and some obnoxious men in suits. Still, it nagged at his brain. He had completely forgotten about the whole Dai Hi Min game, although that was what had put him in a bad mood to begin with. No, it was just that dumb cat… those eyes that burned into his soul. Why did she run away from him? He was only trying to help. And those Americans in the black suits; what did they want with her? And, more importantly, how did they know about him and the Juunishi? That sort of information was top secret. Were they members of the Souma family? He didn't think he had any American relatives, but then there were many Souma's that he had never met. Kana and Hatori never knew each other before she came to work for him… maybe there were relatives unaccounted for as well. But, for those American's to know about the Juunishi curse… it was perplexing. It baffled him, the complexities of it making the anger within him surface more. Oh well, what did it matter. Hopefully, he would never see any of them ever again. He should just forget about it…  
  
  
"Itadakimasu!"  
They all sat down for dinner, however one place short. Kyo wouldn't be joining them tonight. After he had his bath he went straight to bed. Tohru was still concerned, nonetheless. Kyo wasn't himself. Did something happen on his way home from school? She knew not to press him on the matter; if he wanted to talk about, he knew he could come to her. She sat back, enjoyed her dinner, listened to Yuki tell Shigure about the days' Dai Hi Min match and how Kyo had lost miserably. Was that what Kyo was angry about? Now that she thought about it, he still hadn't won a match yet. But that usually wasn't enough to keep him cross all night, to make him skip out on dinner. She had a sneaking suspicion that something happened on his way home. Her imagination ran wild with the differently possibilities that could have befallen Kyo. She was so caught up in her own little world that she almost didn't hear what Yuki was saying to her…  
"Honda-san? Honda-san, are you all right?"  
"Eh?! Sorry, Yuki-kun. What were you saying?"  
He smiled sweetly. "I was asking if you were ok. You seemed lost in thought. What were you thinking about?"  
"Oh, I'm worried about Kyo-kun. He seems kind of distant, don't you think?"  
He frowned slightly. Lately, everything seemed to be about Kyo; not just with Tohru, but everyone in general. He wasn't jealous necessarily, but he did feel a little left out. He was probably just imagining things. "I'm sure he's all right, Honda-san. You know how he is. He's just a little grumpy. Let him rest, and he'll be fine."  
His voice was reassuring to her, and she hoped that everything would be ok. Things had been somewhat on the dramatic side as of late. Images of Kyo's true form still lodged in her brain. She was shocked when she saw it for the first time, and she didn't look at him differently now, or at least she tried not to. She knew how much of an issue it was for him, and for his sake, she tried not to make too much of it. Still, the sheer sight of it, the smell… all these things flashed before her like the lightning outside tonight. That's when she saw it. A human form, standing out in the rain… slowly approaching the house. She gasped as the form took on more shape, the distinct curves of a female body more apparent in rain drenched clothes, worried eyes staring directly into her own. The girl held on tightly to the paper screen door with one wet, dripping hand, her other hand clutching the fabric of her shirt. She was soaked, and she was shivering from head to toe. Or maybe she was in pain!? Tohru got to her feet to rush to the strangers' side. The girl opened her mouth to say something, but before she could utter a sound, her eyes closed and she fell into a crumpled heap on the floor. 


	3. Chapter 2: Distant Thunder

RAIN Part I -Dark Clouds  
"Distant Thunder"  
  
  
Tohru wrung out the wet cloth, cool water trickling out, sliding down her hand into the sink. She walked back into the main room where their strange guest lay sleeping. Their visitor had quite a fever. /Out in the rain too long/, she thought, /but this ought to bring it down./ The girl had collapsed right by the door. Neither Shigure nor Yuki could carry her to one of the extra bedrooms. If the huggled her the wrong way, they would turn into their respective Juunishi animals. So, they had dragged her ever so gently into their main room, Yuki running off to fetch one of Tohru's yukatas and a spare bedroll. The girl had been in and out of consciousness since then, and with a little help from Tohru, managed to shrug out of her wet, mud stained clothes, and into the dry, warm yukata. It was a little small for her; she was pretty curvaceous, after all, and her well-shaped arms and legs indicated that she worked out a lot to boot. But that wasn't what caught their attention. It was her resemblance to Kyo that was so utterly surprising; the same sharp-angled features, deep brown eyes, and most of all her mop of carrot colored hair that she wore midway down her back. It was lighter than Kyo's though, more of an orange-cream color with wisps of blonde here and there. The resemblance was uncanny, but they would let her sleep for the time being, Tohru draping the damp washcloth cross her forehead. Satisfied, she sat by the table, knees bent to her chest, letting her own thoughts consume her, wondering who this unusual girl was. They would know soon enough, however. Shigure and Yuki had already gone to bed, but Tohru chose to stay up just a bit longer, to make sure that their guest was as comfortable as possible. The girl shifted and moaned, as if troubled by nightmares and other upsets of the mind. Tohru listened to the light pitter-patter of rain outside, felt her senses numbing as she grew tired. So much rain lately. Would it ever stop? It just felt like more and more tragedy was befalling the Souma's. Was it because of her? Was she the source of their pain? Her normally optimistic nature faltering slightly, she let slip a few well-deserved tears. She had been through so much already, and she was only 17. She was happy to be here with Yuki and the others, but she couldn't help but let the melancholy overwhelm her sometimes. Although, she would never let them see her so defeated. That wasn't the Tohru they knew. She knew that they leaned on her for support, and she on them. Akito didn't like her; that was clear. There hadn't been much news about Akito since that fateful day when she finally confronted him. For the most part, it had been as though he had left their lives for the time being. She knew that too good to be true, and she suspected that he was planning something. All she could do was sit around and wait for it though… to wait and pick up the pieces. She yawned and then smiled slightly. Sitting around like this would bother Kyo to no extent… he being more the type to go and do something about it. And with her thoughts on Kyo now, she remembered the stranger. The resemblance really was uncanny, yet she had her own divergent features too… her own personality… the things that separated her from Tohru, and vice versa. If it weren't for the girls almond shaped eyes, a trait of any Japanese, she would have suspected that this girl was American…. far from home and afraid. She wondered how this girl dealt with the sadness in her life. /Does she hide from it, like me? Or maybe…she's more like Kyo, and faces it head on. I wish I could be more like that…more like the cat…/ And with those final thoughts, Tohru gave into the sleep that had began to overwhelm her.  
  
  
Pale morning sunlight streamed through an open window in the barren room, casting shadows here and there, sharpening the harsh angles of Kyo's expression. He had been awake for most of the night, snoozing lightly on occasion, but never really falling into a deep sleep. He blamed that, in due part, to his pure anxiousness. The previous days events riled him, and as much as he tried, he could not forget those eyes. He had finally figured out why they bothered him so much… those eyes so much like his… so full of sadness and unbearable pain. He, too, knew what that was like. He dealt with it in his own way, not forgetting about it, but not letting it consume him either. He had to be strong, especially if he wanted to beat that damn mouse. He sat up, stretched his long, muscular arms, noting his own weariness. A little jog might do him some good. That and a cold shower, some breakfast… oh yeah, he had to study too. Big test in school soon. He slowly got up, and walked down to the wash room, determined not to think about that stupid, little cat anymore, muttering softly to himself… "Damn..."  
  
  
First there were the hands. So many of them, holding her down, pinning her to whatever it was she was lying on. She couldn't move, she couldn't scream… nothing but a muffled cry escaped from the gag in her mouth. Then, the pain. So, much pain coursing through her entire body. /No more…/ she cried…/please… please stop/.  
  
She awoke with a start, sitting up slightly, a bit dazed. Looking around a little, she began to take in her surroundings. /Where am I? What happened?/ She couldn't remember clearly what had happened. She had seen the house, could smell their delicious dinner, the scents and scenery drawing her near… and then darkness. And the dreams… The same dreams that had haunted her subconscious every night for as long as she could remember. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she curled in on herself and began to cry, overwhelmed by her sorrow.  
"Daijoubu?" came a soft voice that startled her. She hadn't even realized someone sat next to her, staring at her through sleepy eyes filled with concern. A young girl, about her age, spoke again. "Hey, are you all right?"  
She rubbed away her tears with her own arm. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all." Silence. "What happened to me..?"  
"You collapsed suddenly. I was so worried. You had a bit of a fever… " The cute brown haired girl explained, touching a soft hand to her forehead…"It seems to have passed. What a relief." She smiled. "I'm Tohru. Honda Tohru. And you are?"  
"Kiya. Kiya So…" she stopped abruptly. "Kiya will do. It's nice to meet you, Honda-san." She held out a hand to Tohru, and Tohru took it in her own, a little surprised at the gesture. The shaking of hands was more of an American's way of greeting. Perhaps this girl, Kiya, was part American after all. /How interesting…/  
Just then Shigure entered the room, a sleepy Yuki following close behind.   
"Ah! You're up!" Shigure said as he approached the two girls. He smiled at Kiya. "You look better. Tohru-kun here was very worried about you. She didn't leave your side all night."  
Kiya looked surprised. Never had anyone been so concerned about her before. But still, she must have been such a burden to her. "Thank you, Honda-san. I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble."  
Tohru shook her head with a smile. "No, not at all. But, I'm glad to see that you're feeling better." She got to her feet. "Hungry?"  
Kiya smiled, truly for the first time in what felt like forever. "Starved."  
  
  
"Thank you," she said meekly as Tohru handed her a warm cup of tea. She drank greedily, the heat helping to relax her soar muscles. She glanced around at the other two people seated with her at the table. The older of them, a man wearing traditional Japanese garb, the one called Shigure, had a silly grin on his face. The other next to him, a high school boy named Yuki, with stunning violet eyes, stared at her worriedly. He was cute, although not really her type as far as appearances were concerned. He somewhat reminded her of a… well, a mouse, actually. They all seemed friendly enough though, taking care of her when she fell unconscious, serving her breakfast. Such kindness was rare these days, and she wished she could repay them, but what could she possibly offer in return? She had…nothing. Tohru smiled at her sweetly.  
"So, Kiya-san…" she began, "Um, I don't mean to pry… but uh, why were you out in that storm? It was very dangerous!"  
"Well, actually, I uh… "She stumbled to find the right words to explain her story. She didn't want to tell them everything; no need to get them involved with her troubles. "The truth is I ran away from home."  
Tohru was stunned. "What? But why? You're family must be so worried about you…"  
Kiya grimaced slightly. "Um…I, uh…" she looked away. She couldn't tell them about her so-called family.  
"Tohru-kun, don't bother Kiya-san with so many questions. She's had a rough time it seems." Shigure smiled in Kiya's direction. "Do you have any friends you can stay with?"  
"No."  
"Any place that you could go?"  
"No."  
"What are you going to?"  
"I don't know."  
"Can't you go home?"  
"Don't wanna."  
Shigure kept parading her with questions and concerns. Yuki rolled his eyes and cupped his chin in his hands. /Hypocrite…/ It was then that he noticed that Kyo was missing. He looked over at Tohru sitting on the far end of the table. As if anticipating his question, Tohru spoke. "Yuki-kun, have you seen Kyo-kun? He didn't come down for breakfast, and when I checked he wasn't in his room."  
Kiya looked at her questioningly. "Kyo?" The name sounded very familiar to her, but she could not identify it. Still… where had she heard it before…  
"Kyo's a member of Yuki's and my family who also lives here with us, "Shigure spat quickly before returning to the subject at hand, "Now, Kiya-san, we should really think about what we're going to do with you. You say you can't go home, and that you have nowhere to go… so…. " He thought long and hard for a moment, a look of pure seriousness etched across his face, only to be replaced by that same silly grin he always wore, "You can stay here with us!"  
"EH?!" Tohru and Yuki starred at Shigure in shock.  
"What?" he asked innocently. "Where else is she going to go? Besides, I don't mind having another cute girl in the household. She can stay until her family situation improves. And I'm sure Tohru-kun could use the help cleaning up after us. A house full of messy guys can be quite a handful even for our resourceful, little Tohru-kun."  
Kiya opened her mouth to refuse, but Yuki beat her to it.  
"Shigure, you know Akito will never allow it."  
Tohru cringed at the mention of Akito's name, too busy with her own doubts and reservations of the family head to notice the look of trepidation on Kiya's face. Yuki continued.  
"It was suspicious enough that he let Tohru live with us, but then the situation had been different. There is no way that Akito will let Kiya-san stay here, like it or not."  
Kiya sat frozen, unable to move or blink, barely able to speak. "A…ki…to…"  
Shigure glanced at her. "Yes. Akito, the head of our family."  
Looking back and forth between Yuki and Shigure, Kiya forced herself to ask her next question, her fears and worries surfacing higher with each word. "You… are you… both… Souma's?"  
"Eh? How did you know?" Yuki asked, bewilderedly. At this point Kiya was on her feet, fists trembling.  
"You're both Souma's, and you didn't tell me!!"  
Shigure shrugged. "It didn't seem necessary for you to know at the time. Kyo's a Souma too. I wonder where he ran off to.." Shigure didn't seem at all concerned that Kiya looked like she was about to start swinging at them. Tohru was nervous though.  
"Kiya-san… are you ok? Why are you so angry?"  
The look in Kiya's eyes was horrifying, like those of a frightened animal. She was visibly shaking now, ostensibly trying to control her anger. She wanted to run, but she held her ground, new that if she didn't make a stand against the Souma's now, that she may never have the strength or the chance. A sinister smile played across her face. She laughed, a hard, sharp and bitter sound. Tohru looked on wide-eyed   
"Kiya…-san?"  
"I must commend you for your efforts," she began, "Really, you had me fooled for a while. Did Akito put you up to this?"  
Yuki looked flabbergasted. "Kiya-san, what are you talking about? Akito has nothing…"  
"DON'T LIE TO ME!" she screamed. "Do you think I'm some kind of idiot!? I won't be tricked so easily! If you think I'll just go along with whatever you and Akito have planned, you are sorely mistaken. You want me? You'll have to catch me first!"  
Shigure sighed. "Kiya-san, I think you've got the wrong idea. We have no intentions of 'catching' you."  
Kiya was slightly stunned. "No intentions of…?" She fell silent for an instant, only to break into a uneasy laughter. "I get it now. You're Juunishi, aren't you? You couldn't physically come after me even if you wanted to. How amusing…"  
The three of them stared at her aghast, jaws hanging open, none of them uttering a word. Yuki was the first to break the awkward silence.   
"Kiya-san…. How … how do you know about the Juunishi? Who ARE you?"  
She didn't really know what to think of their performance, but she had to admit… they were pretty decent actors. She had to escape though. There was only one course of action…  
"Hmph. I know all about the Juunishi… better than you might think," she stared at the two men wickedly, leisurely moving behind them as she spoke, placing one hand on Yuki's shoulder and another on Shigure's. "So… you're both Juunishi members, huh? Well, let's see exactly which one's you are…."and squeezed her fingers...  
  
  
Kyo had heard most of the commotion from the kitchen as he drank from his personal carton of milk, refreshing himself after a extensive, vigorous run. He recognized the voices of Tohru and Yuki and Shigure, but there was one noticeably female voice, low and seductive sounding, almost menacing, that he did not recognize. Did they have guests? He listened suspiciously, his good cat senses coming into play. She was livid, heard her yell something about telling Akito to go to hell. What was going on in there? The voices died down, barely audible even to his exceptional range of hearing. But then he heard it… two very distinct "pyons"… one sounding right after another. He knew that sound all too well…the transformation sound from human to Juunishi animal. He dropped the carton and ran instinctively for the main room. Flinging the screen door open, he found himself face to face…with himself? 


End file.
